Q&A for How to Know When Your Child is Old Enough to Babysit

It depends on how mature the 10-year-old is, and of course the parents of the children will have the final say, but anywhere between 3-8 years old is probably a good range.

Yes, as long as he or she is responsible, mature, and knows how to take care of smaller children.

It depends on the kid and the parents. As long as you can trust your child and they understand what to do in emergency situations, they are most likely safe.

If you're not sure you're ready, you should wait. Most parents prefer their babysitters to be age 12+ anyway. When you're 11, take the babysitting course from the Red Cross and see how you feel after that.

The average is probably between $5-10/hr, depending on the age of the babysitter and number and ages of the children, though an adult babysitter/nanny would obviously expect to be paid more.

Ask your parents about the possibility of babysitting. Just say something like, "Hey mom, now that I'm older I was hoping to maybe do some babysitting," or something similar. Also, you could look into taking a Red Cross babysitting class.

Between the ages of 3 and 9. Any younger might make parents uncomfortable, and much older could result in disobedience because of the small age gap.

You can babysit children age five and up if you are mature and responsible.

It's possible, but it depends on the age of the kids and the babysitter's experience.

Ask yourself some questions. Do you do chores without being asked? Do you turn in your homework? Do you like kids? Do you know what to do in an emergency? If you can honestly answer yes, then you probably are.

Most parents would prefer their babysitter to be at least a high-schooler, but some will accept someone 12+. 12 is generally considered an acceptable age to start babysitting. It will be hard to find people comfortable with babysitters younger than that, unless they're people who know you and/or your child personally.

Yes, if you have the parents' permission to babysit the infant, you know CPR, and have taken the babysitter's course.

It depends on the tween and what the parents are comfortable with. If you're a tween and you're just starting out, see if you can find a job that will only last 1-2 hours while you get used to babysitting.

It depends on the number of children and their ages, but probably $5-$7/hour would be good.

About $4 - 5 an hour depending on the child, number of children, and how responsible you are. A trick to getting paid more by the parent (if they are giving you the rate), is to clean up the house after the children are safely in bed.

Most parents think it's too young, but if you are mature and responsible enough, there's no reason you couldn't.

Aim for kids between 2-6 years old. Babies are very fragile and kids closer to your age might not listen to you. You should definitely take the Red Cross babysitting course if you haven't already, this will help show the parents that you're responsible.

It's really up to the parents of the 11-year-old and the parents of the child she is babysitting.

Learn whatever you can learn as soon as you are interested in it. If you want to learn more about babysitting, sure, go ahead! It's fun, and it teaches you responsibility and care.

Yes, totally. If you are responsible enough and approved by the parent, then you can. But I don't recommend babysitting any child younger than 3 or 4. The adult may get a little nervous, since younger children are more likely to cause accidents.

If they refuse to go away after you don't answer, you could go to the door and tell them that you're not interested. If they still refuse to leave, you should call the police.

If you are mature, then you could babysit for someone you know, but parents still may not trust somebody as young as you. A good age group would be three to six years old.

Ten is too young to babysit an infant.

This is a little too young. Wait until you are 12 years old and have your parents' approval. It's also a good idea to get basic first aid training or babysitting training before you begin.

Ask your parents to tell their friends that you're babysitting. After you get one babysitting job, ask the parents to refer you to other parents. Print a card with your information on it to give out to prospective clients. Tell other babysitters that you can fill in for them if they need you.

You can start out by being a mother's helper. A mother's helper watches the child by playing with them and keeping them entertained while the parent works in the home. Once you get a little older (i.e. 11 or 12) and you've gained the parents' trust, they might start asking you to watch their children.

Many 11-year-olds babysit. Consider this age guide: 9- and 10-year-olds can often handle younger siblings who are potty-trained and older than 3; 11-year-olds can babysit younger siblings and maybe some mother helper jobs with assistance from friends and older siblings; 12- and 13-year-olds can typically handle younger relatives and friends' sisters and brothers; 14- through 16-year-olds can babysit kids who are 1 through 10 years old; and17+ can handle any kids under 14.

Yes, as long as the eleven-year-old is relatively mature and responsible.

Start by being a mother's helper. A mother's helper watches someone else's child at their home while the parents do other things.

1.) Your parents must be okay with it. 2.) You must be responsible enough with your own duties (school, homework, chores) before taking care of someone else's kids. 3.) You must be old enough to be home alone in your state or wherever you live.